Dubai was 100% worth the 50 hour roundtrip flight across 4 continents. It was everything I expected and more. Ofcourse, there were some culture shocks and mishaps- but generally this was truly a once in a lifetime trip. Every tourist attraction met my expectations and our hotel- Grand Sheraton was amazing. The amenities were 5 star quality, just like every other hotel in downtown Dubai.
Some travel tips I have are booking this destination as early as possible to get the best deal, do as much research as possible to maximum the amount of activities you can fit in, and most of all enjoy the nightlife here!
This is especially if you are a female, there are ladies nights every day of the week which almost always includes free drinks and also discounts on dining. I personally will never view clubbing the same anymore after Dubai, I felt like a princess both nights I went out. I've never seen such beautiful interiors in my life. Clubs I went to were Vida, Cavalli, Billionaire's Mansion, and Cirque Le Soir. The entrance was free for all of them, and if you meet a man there and take him along with you, he will be very grateful as couples get entrance extremely fast versus mixed groups or a group of boys. I had a very positive nightlife experience there, which is unparalleled to anywhere else I have been to.
Dubai gives a very classy vibe, and despite some ethical issues about using slave workers for construction and the opulent nature of the city- it is something you can never see anywhere else in the world. Every travel destination has ethical issues and cons, and I understand that very clearly. The most a conscious tourist can do, in my opinion is to stay open-minded and be aware of human right violations there before going. Be aware of your privilege and be grateful to have the opportunity to travel. Make conscious efforts to stay away from supporting animal abuse by NOT doing interactive animal programs like riding dolphins or camels. These creatures were not made do the same repetitive tasks every 5 minutes for your own social capital gain and Instagram photo ops. They are intelligent creatures that deserve to roam in the wild. I'm not trying to be a preacher but seeing these animals being used for entertainment value had me in tears on this trip. At least do some basic research before going to zoo, aquariums or involving animals in your travel. Think about what animals had to go through to pose for your picture.
Overall, Dubai has the city style, culture, beach, nightlife, shopping. Everything is here. I would recommend Dubai 100% to anyone considering travel here.
